Rust under Upper control arm

[tfowler9]

I decided to upgrade my front suspension and steering components. I have had the car since the mid 80's. Finally time to change after 40 years. I bought the entire kit from CJ Pony Parts. I have all the old components off the car. Just cleaning up before I install the new parts, I was surprise at the amount of dirt, stones grime under the upper control arm. I clean it out and found this (attached) there is no rust anywhere on the car. It is garage kept and rarely out in the rain. I believe it has been there since I bought it. Looks like a design flaw allowing the accumulation. Don't think it is a structure issue, but still a surprise when I found it. Anyone else seeing this.
Something else - the idler arm that came with the kit is a two piece unlike the original. And does not have the elongated hole like the original (see attached). The holes on the new piece do not line up with the car. I am going to have to drill out the part to make it fit. CJ POnu Parts do not indicate that at all on their website when purchasing the kit?

Tom

 

[Sheriff41]

I'd repair the shock tower while it's apart, even if it was just to weld in some reinforcing where the rust holes have formed. Consider finding a different parts source in the future. Just my opinion.

 

[73pony]

Also. That Idler Arm will not work correctly. The geometry is wrong. Rare Parts makes the correct one for our cars. I believe the part number is 20250. +1 CJ is not my first or even 10th choice.

 

[Steve McMahan]

Agree with @73pony, the Rare Parts guys are the only ones with a correct idler arm. Concerning that newfound rust, that’s not an uncommon issue. The designed drain hole was insufficient and many of us have found rust there. I would clean it out the best I could and weld a patch there. Make sure the drain hole is large enough for the future.

 

[Flatback72]

Yeah, throw away that idler arm. I bought one the same as that with the packaging marked as for a 71-73 Mustang but it was clearly a different geometry than the original.

I ended up buying this one instead (link below) from West Coast Classic Cougar which side by side had the same geometry as the one that I had pulled out of the car:

https://secure.cougarpartscatalog.com/71idler.html?sessionthemeid=26

 

[rcadd1ct]

I used the Opentracker roller idler.

Really helped make the steering be smooth and precise

Definitely address the rust before it gets worse.